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High Protein Diet May Assist Women in Long-Term Weight Loss
Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates a diet high in protein may assist in long term-weight loss. The study found that middle-aged women who followed a high-protein diet compared with those who followed a low-protein diet lost more weight over a 1-year study period. Whether this was actually due to the protein per se or the fact that those women best able to restrict calories chose high protein foods, is not known," lead investigator Dr. Peter M. Clifton of Adelaide University told Reuters Health. Regardless of protein levels, Clifton added, "even small amounts of weight loss at 12 months were associated with considerable benefits in terms of lipids." Among those women that lost weight, there was a 20 percent increase in HDL levels, “the good cholesterol.”
Source: Reuters Health, January 29, 2008; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2008
Study Indicates Weight Loss is Difficult When Exercise is Inconsistent
Weight gain caused by inconsistent bouts of exercise is not easily lost by resuming a previous exercise routine, suggests a study published in the February 2008 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. The study found that weight gain among men and women who decreased their running distances per week was significantly more than weight loss among men and women who increased their running distances per week by the same amount. you stop exercising with the intention of starting again later, you don't get to pick up where you left off," said lead researcher Paul Williams, PhD.. "You're likely to gain weight and get stuck with it unless you exercise a lot more. It's an ounce of prevention or a pound of cure, literally.”
Source: Medical News Today, February 4, 2008; Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2008
Sedenary Lifestyles May Promote the Aging Process
A new study indicates inactivity may not only promote obesity related to diseases such heart disease and diabetes, but may also increase the aging process. The authors conclude, relating this to daily life. The study found that participants with sedenatary lifestyles had reduced telomere length contributing to an average loss of 21 nucleotides (the basic structural units of DNA) per year. The authors suggest a few mechanisms by which more sedentary lifestyles might contribute to telomere degeneration. One could be damage to cells caused by exposure to oxygen, called oxidative stress. Increased inflammation in sedentary persons may also create this effect Additionally, telomere length has been linked to perceived stress levels. This psychological stress may be reduced by physical activity, thus lessening its severity on telomeres and the aging process"The U.S. guidelines recommend that 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days a week can have significant health benefits," state the authors. "Our results underscore the vital importance of these guidelines. They show that adults who partake in regular physical activity are biologically younger than sedentary individuals. This conclusion provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potential anti-aging effect of regular exercise."
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Last Updated 11/2006
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